a 25-Day Journey
Now is the Time: Luke is a 25-day journey through the book of Luke that calls participants to transform the world by unleashing God s Word in their city. Note to Ministry Leaders: This suite of resources includes tracks for adults, youth, and children. Companion materials include discussion guides and sermon outlines. Adult Track Youth Track Children s Track To access these materials, go to NowLuke.com. Check out the Luke 4.18-19 Assignment and live out Scripture everywhere, every day. Directional Leadership Team for Now is the Time: Luke Dr. Mac Pier NYCLC Rev. Dimas Salaberrios COPGNY Rev. Dr. John Edgar Caterson ABS All Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Contemporary English Version 1991, 1992, 1995, 2006 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission. 2014 American Bible Society Written by Dr. Margi McCombs Cover design by Robert Giorgio Coloring pages illustrated by Rhonda Manis and Resources for Catholic Educators Project management by Lauren Hutzel and Elizabeth Presutti NowLuke.com Now is the Time: Luke is a collaboration between: Bible Trek: Luke 2
Welcome to an exciting trek through Luke! Luke is the third book in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke). For the next 25 days, we ll walk alongside a follower of Jesus named Luke. He wrote this book so that people would know what happened when Jesus was on earth. Luke also wrote the book of Acts in the Bible, which tells us what happened after Jesus went back to heaven and how the story of Jesus spread throughout the whole world! We hope you enjoy this Bible adventure and learn to love and follow Jesus just like Luke! Talk to God God, please help me to understand the words I read in the Bible today. Thank you that nothing is impossible for you! Read the Bible Luke 1.5-23, 26-34, 37-38, 57-66 Today s verses tell about two amazing promises God sent through his angel Gabriel. The first promise is to an old priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, and the second is to a young lady named Mary. The angel Gabriel told them about two babies that were going to be born, and for each of them, it was a hard promise to believe! Think About It How would you feel if an angel visited you? What if the angel told you that God was going to do something that you thought was impossible? Would you react like Zechariah, who didn t believe, or like Mary, who believed but wondered how God was going to do it? One thing is sure: what God promises, he will surely do! Verse 37 reminds us: NOTHING is impossible for God! Do Something About It Write down 2 things that you want God to do, but it seems impossible right now. Ask God to do the impossible! 1. 2. Day 1 Memory Verses (Little Kids) Nothing is impossible for God! Luke 1.37 (Big Kids) The Lord s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, This is the year the Lord has chosen. Luke 4.18-19 Bible Trek: Luke 3
Talk to God God, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus into the world to help us know you better. Read the Bible Luke 2.1-20 Day 2 Today s verses tell us about the most important thing that ever happened! God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins and make a way for us to live forever in heaven. But he came as a little baby, born to a poor family from a small town, and his first crib was a feeding bin for barn animals. That s not what we might expect for God s Son who we now know as King Jesus! Think About It Jesus birth is the most important event in history. God created the world as a perfect place, then sin came into the world and caused a separation between people and God. God s plan to fix that broken relationship was to send Jesus into the world to take the punishment for our sin and make us right with God again. Think how terrible it would be if Jesus had not come to earth! We can learn about God s love through the life of his Son, Jesus. Do Something About It Sin Anything you think, say or do that does not please God. If you don t know Jesus and have never asked him to forgive your sins, you can pray this prayer: Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe that you came to earth to die so I could be forgiven of my sins. Please come into my heart and I ll follow you forever. Talk about this with your parents or the leader at your church. They will help you begin a personal relationship with Jesus and learn how to follow him! Bible Trek: Luke 4
Fill in the Blank nazareth to bethlehem Luke 2.1-20 Day 2 Nazareth Bethlehem Use your Bible to fill in the blanks below: So had to leave in Galilee and go to in Judea. Long ago had been King s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's. Luke 2.4 Answers Joseph, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Bethlehem, David, Family. Bible Trek: Luke 5
Talk to God God, help me to be brave to tell other people about Jesus. Read the Bible Luke 3.2-6, 15-16, 21-22 Day 3 Remember the story on Day 1 about old Zechariah and Elizabeth who had a baby boy? He grew up and was known as John the Baptist. He was a prophet, and told people about God to prepare them for God s work in the world. The way John the Baptist lived sounds strange to us, but he was an important man in God s plan to tell the world about Jesus. He even got to baptize Jesus in the Jordan River! Think About It John the Baptist told many people that Jesus was coming. There were even those who thought that John was the Messiah come to save them! But he was careful to point people to Jesus. You re important to God s plan, too. Who do you know who needs to hear what you have learned? You can tell people about Jesus. Do Something About It Write down the names of two people you know that need to hear about Jesus. Make a plan to tell them! 1. 2. Messiah The Savior promised by God to the Jews; the Christ. Bible Trek: Luke 6
Coloring Page John Baptizes Jesus And the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you. Luke 3.22 Day 3 Bible Trek: Luke 7
Talk to God God, help me remember that you have a purpose for my life, just like Jesus. Read the Bible Luke 4.16-22, 28-30, 42-43 Day 4 In these verses, Jesus tells us why God sent him to earth! We also learn how the people of Jesus hometown reacted to his words in the synagogue (their place of worship). Wow! Instead of treating him like a hometown hero, they got angry! He left Nazareth, but people in other places were amazed at his words and miracles. Think About It Did you see this week s Memory Verse in this chapter? The words that Jesus spoke in verses 18 and 19 were first written by the prophet Isaiah more than 700 years before Jesus was born! But they were written about Jesus to tell us why God was going to send him to earth. When Jesus said those things about himself, he was telling the people that he was the Messiah. God has a purpose for our lives, too. Just like Jesus, we are here to tell others the Good News! Do Something About It Miracle Something that only God can do. What can you do with your family to make a difference in someone else s life? Can you take a tray of sandwiches to a homeless shelter? Can you visit someone who is sick to encourage them? Bible Trek: Luke 8
Crossword Puzzle jesus begins his ministry Day 4 ACROSS 3. This is the year the Lord has. 5. Isaiah was a. DOWN 1. We are here to tell others the News. 2. Jesus told this story to explain to people that he was the. 4. God has a for our lives. Answers CHOSEN, PROPHET, GOOD, MESSIAH, PURPOSE Bible Trek: Luke 9
Talk to God God, help me to know you better as I follow Jesus. Please show me how to help others get to know you, too. Read the Bible Luke 5.1-11 There were some lakes in the land where Jesus lived, and fishing was an important source of food for the people. In this story, Jesus visits some hard working fishermen and does something that only God could do! They were so amazed that they left their boats and fishing nets behind and began to follow Jesus. They became Jesus first disciples! Think About It Day 5 It must have been a big deal for those fishermen to leave everything they were comfortable with to follow Jesus! They weren t preachers or professors or rich noblemen; they were ordinary, hard-working fishermen! But their lives changed immediately when they met Jesus and saw his power. We can follow Jesus, too, and help others to know him. Do Something About It Disciple One who follows and obeys the teaching of another. How can you be a disciple of Jesus? You can follow him by learning what he taught and doing what he said was right. Later in Luke you ll learn that Jesus tells us to love and forgive each other, to be generous to one another, to trust God instead of worrying, and many other things. What two things will you do this week as a disciple of Jesus? 1. 2. Bible Trek: Luke 10
Coloring Page jesus calls his disciples Day 5 The men pulled their boats up on the shore. Then they left everything and went with Jesus. Luke 5.11 Bible Trek: Luke 11
Talk to God God, please help me to understand the words I read in the Bible today. Give me a teachable heart so I can learn from you! Read the Bible Luke 6.27-49 Jesus traveled throughout the countryside teaching people and healing many of their diseases. His teaching was filled with wisdom as he explained how we are to treat one another with love. Then, in the story about the two builders, Jesus describes the difference between those who are wise enough to listen to his teachings and obey, and those who foolishly disobey. Think About It Not everything that Jesus asks us to do is easy! Love our enemies? Pray for those who are mean to us? But this is God s way, not the easy way. This is how God wants us to behave! The story of the two builders reminds us that it is wise to learn from Jesus. Read his words carefully, then be sure to obey! You will earn the respect of others, but most importantly, you will be showing God s love to the world. Do Something About It Day 6 Write down 2 things in this chapter that are the hardest for you to obey. Then ask God to help you follow in Jesus footsteps by doing what he tells us to do! 1. 2. This Week's Memory Verses (Little Kids) Treat others just as you want to be treated. Luke 6.31 (Big Kids) If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross every day and follow me. Luke 9.23 Bible Trek: Luke 12
Talk to God God, thank you for sending Jesus to show us how powerful you are! Please give me faith to believe that you can do miracles! Read the Bible Luke 7.1-23 Day 7 Today s verses tell us about some incredible miracles that Jesus did: he healed a sick man without even being in the same house; he brought a boy who had died back to life; and he made blind people see! People were amazed! But in verse 9, we see that Jesus was surprised, too, by the army officer s faith in him. The army officer truly believed that Jesus could heal his servant, and Jesus did, indeed, do a miracle! Think About It Look back to Luke 4.18-19 and then read Luke 7.23 again. Do you think Jesus was doing what he said God had chosen him to do? Here s another thought: why do you think Jesus was surprised at the army officer s faith? Look for the book of Hebrews in your Bible, and read Hebrews 11.1. We can have faith in Jesus! We can be sure of what we hope for when we have faith that Jesus can do miracles! Do Something About It Start a FaithBook with your family! Get a small notebook and start by writing down 2-3 things that you would like to see God do, that only God can do. Ask God to answer your prayer, and remember to pray every day as you believe that God can do the impossible. When you see God answering your prayer, write it down in your FaithBook and share the good news with someone else! Bible Trek: Luke 13
Color in the design, cut out the cover, and attach it to the front of your Faithbook notebook! My Faithbook By
Talk to God God, help me to be brave during scary times, and to have faith that you can bring peace and calm in the middle of the storm! Read the Bible Luke 8.22-25 Day 8 The disciples follow Jesus into a boat to set out across the lake, and then a very scary thing begins to happen. A fierce windstorm strikes the lake, making huge waves that come over the side of the boat and begin to fill the boat with water! Where is Jesus? Asleep! Terrified, the disciples wake him up and Jesus does another awesome miracle: he speaks to the wind and the waves and immediately the wind stops and the lake becomes calm! The disciples are amazed that even the wind and water obey Jesus, and they ask a really important question, Who is this? Think About It Find the book of Colossians in your Bible. Read Colossians 1.16 to find out why even the wind and water obey Jesus. Jesus can calm a storm because he s the Creator. This is why Jesus can do other miracles, too. Jesus is God, and everything that was made, including all of nature, was created by him and for him! Do Something About It Sometimes things can be pretty scary! To remind you that Jesus can bring calm and peace into every situation, make a poster for your room that says, Even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you. Psalm 56.3 Comfort others with these words, too! Tell them that Jesus is still in control, even when things around them are scary. Bible Trek: Luke 15
Coloring Page Jesus calms the storm Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm. Luke 8.24 Day 8 Bible Trek: Luke 16
Talk to God God, help me remember that your way is the right way even when it doesn t make sense to me. Please give me strength to follow you no matter what! Read the Bible Luke 9.10-17, 23-24, 46-48 Day 9 In these verses, Jesus asks the disciples to do some things that seem either impossible or crazy. First, he asks them to feed thousands of people with just one little lunch, then he tells them that they ll have to destroy their lives in order to save them, and finally, he reminds them that in God s kingdom, whoever is the least is actually the greatest. Wow! That seems upside down! Think About It Look for the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. Now find chapter 55, verses 8-9. God s ways are definitely not like our ways! Sometimes God s ways don t make sense to us. We don t want to put ourselves last, or die to our own needs in order to help others. But even when it doesn t make sense to us, we need to listen to what Jesus is saying, and ask God to help us understand it and give us strength to do the right thing. Since we can t do it ourselves, we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us. Do Something About It Write down 2 God s way things you can do this week that are hard for you to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you strong and brave enough to do what God wants you to do. 1. 2. Bible Trek: Luke 17
Word Scramble following jesus Day 9 TESIMMEOS OGDS YSWA TOND KEMA NSEES OT SU.. Answers Sometimes God s ways don t make sense to us. Bible Trek: Luke 18
Talk to God God, help me to love others the way you love me. Help me to see those around me who need to feel your love through me! Read the Bible Luke 10.25-37 Day 10 Before Jesus tells the story of The Good Samaritan, a man asks him two very important questions: What must I do to have eternal life? and, Who are my neighbors? Jesus answers in a surprising way that s not what the man expects to hear! In Jesus day, the Jews and the Samaritans were not friends, even though they lived right next to each other. So it was surprising that Jesus made a Samaritan the hero in his story about who helped a wounded Jewish man. Think About It Jesus shows us in these verses that God loves everyone. When the Bible says, Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself, it means we are to love even those who are different from us, those we don t like very much, and those who are difficult to love, even if it costs us something! We can love others the way God loves us! Do Something About It 1. Write down today s date and the names of two people in your life that you find it hard to love. You could use your FaithBook for this. 2. Begin to pray for them every day and ask God to help you love them. Look for ways to be kind to them. 3. Watch to see what God does! 4. As soon as you see a change in your heart toward them, write that date down, too, and remember to thank God for helping you to love them! Bible Trek: Luke 19
Coloring Page the good samaritan When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him and went over to him. He treated his wounds and bandaged them. Luke 10.33-34 Day 10 Bible Trek: Luke 20
Talk to God God, thank you that you always hear my prayers! Help me to remember to talk to you all day long. Read the Bible Luke 11.1-13 Prayer was important to Jesus. In these verses, he gives his disciples an example of how to pray, and then he tells them why it s important to pray. He tells a little story about someone who goes to his friend in the middle of the night to ask for bread, and then says that the reason his friend answers him isn t just because he s his friend, but because he keeps on asking! In the same way, Jesus explains that God is our Father and loves to give good gifts to his children who ask for them! Think About It There are two sides to every relationship, right? When it comes to your relationship with God, Jesus tells us that even though God knows us and what we need, it s still important that we go to him and tell him what we need! He promises that he will hear our prayers, that he will give us good gifts, and open the door to his kingdom to us through his Holy Spirit. We can always talk to God! Do Something About It Day 11 This Week's Memory Verses (Little Kids) Ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Luke 11.9 (Big Kids) Ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Luke 11.9-10 Pray every day! You can talk to God anytime, anywhere, about anything. He wants to be found by you and he wants to hear your prayers. Talk to him all through your day! Start by writing a prayer to God here: Bible Trek: Luke 21
Talk to God God, please help me not to worry about anything, and to trust you with everything in my life! Read the Bible Luke 12.22-31 Day 12 Jesus was outdoors when he was teaching the crowds of people who came to him. In these verses, he tells his disciples not to worry about anything! He makes them think about how God takes care of the birds they see and the flowers they enjoy and then he reminds them that they are even more important to God than these! He tells them that God knows what they need, and that they should put God first in the things they think about, and God will take care of all their other needs. Think About It It s hard not to worry, isn t it? We can let our imagination go crazy sometimes thinking about all the bad things that could happen! But Jesus tells us we don t have to worry! God cares about every little detail of our lives, and he will make sure we have what we need. Instead of worrying, Jesus tells us to put God s work first. When we take care of the people around us, all that we need will be given to us. Do Something About It On one side, write down three things in your own life that you worry about. On the other side, write down three things that you can do to help someone else. I worry about: I can help someone: Bible Trek: Luke 22
Coloring Page do not be anxious Look how the wild flowers grow! They don t work hard to make their clothes God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields... Won t he do even more for you? Luke 12.27-28 Day 12 Bible Trek: Luke 23
Talk to God God, thank you that Jesus came to teach us about you. Help me to understand the Bible verses I read today. Read the Bible Luke 13.18-21 Jesus often talked about the kingdom of God, but people listening to him had a hard time understanding what he meant. In these verses, Jesus gives them some picture words about things that are common to them to help them understand. A mustard seed is very tiny, but the mustard plant grows to be a tree that s big enough for birds to make their nests in it. Yeast is the ingredient in bread dough that makes it grow big and fluffy. Think About It Day 13 Jesus taught that God s kingdom is both in us and in the work God does through us. Every time we talk to God, worship God, tell others about God, and serve people around us to show God s love, we are making the kingdom of God grow! Even when we feel small and not very important, like a tiny mustard seed, God will use us to show his presence and power in the world. God s kingdom will grow from small beginnings! Do Something About It How can you help the kingdom of God grow? Write down the names of three people you can serve this week, and what you will do to help them. 1. 2. 3. Kingdom of God Anywhere that God s presence and power are seen. Bible Trek: Luke 24
Crossword Puzzle god s kingdom Day 13 ACROSS 3. Then Jesus said, What can I compare God s Kingdom with? It is like what happens when a woman mixes in three batches of flour. Luke 13. 20-21. 5. The Kingdom of God is anywhere that God s presence and are seen. DOWN 1. When we show God s, we make the Kingdom grow. 2. God s Kingdom is like a seed. 4. s Kingdom will grow from small beginnings! Answers YEAST, POWER, LOVE, MUSTARD, GOD Bible Trek: Luke 25
Talk to God God, help me to put others ahead of myself, and to not expect a reward for the good things I do. Read the Bible Luke 14.7-14 Day 14 Jesus is having dinner at a rich man s house. He watches the guests selfishly trying to get the best seats at the table. Once they sit down, he describes another way of choosing seats that requires them to put others ahead of themselves! Then, he turns to his host and suggests that the next time he gives a big dinner he should invite people who would never be able to repay his kindness. Think About It Once again, Jesus surprises people by turning their world upside down! He tells us to take the worst seats and we will be honored, and to invite the poor instead of the rich who can repay us. The kingdom of God is different from our natural world, because we are sinful creatures and God is perfect. Jesus came to make a way for us to be part of God s kingdom, where putting ourselves last and caring for the poor is important! Do Something About It Think about someone who is going through a hard time right now. Make a plan with your family to invite them to your house for dinner, or make dinner at home and take it to them. You will be doing God s kingdom work! Bible Trek: Luke 26
Word Search the wedding feast Day 14 Circle the following words in the puzzle. They can go across, down, or diagonally. OTHERS DINNER WORLD POOR LAST Bible Trek: Luke 27
Talk to God God, thank you for your great love! Help me to show your love to others in the same way you show it to me. Read the Bible Luke 15.3-32 Day 15 Jesus loved to teach with stories. All three stories that Jesus told in these verses are about something or someone who is lost and then found. You can imagine the sadness of the man who lost his sheep, the lady who lost her coin and the father who lost his son! All three show us how important what they lost is to them, and all three show their happiness as they celebrate when what was lost, is found! Think About It Jesus uses these stories to show us God s love for the people who are lost, those that don t have a relationship with him. He wants a relationship with everybody, and sent Jesus to earth to make this possible! He tells us about the big celebration that happens in heaven when someone who was lost comes to know and follow Jesus! This shows us that God loves those who are lost. Do Something About It Do you know people that don t know Jesus? Write their names in the sentence below. You can also write their names in your FaithBook with today s date, and begin to pray for them every day. Ask Jesus to help you tell them about God. I will pray for to know and follow Jesus! Bible Trek: Luke 28
Coloring Page god loves the lost When he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. Luke 15.20 Day 15 Bible Trek: Luke 29
Talk to God God, help me to remember that money and the things money can buy are not as important as what is in my heart! Read the Bible Luke 16.10-15 Jesus teaches us that money and the things money buys are not as important as God and the things of God s kingdom. He knows that people in the crowd listening to him love money, but Jesus reminds them that God sees what s in their hearts. He tells them that what they think is important, like making themselves look good, is worthless to God. Think About It We re often tempted to use the money God has given us to buy things that we don t really need but make us look good to others. But God asks us to look in our hearts to see if we re focusing on the things of God or on ourselves. What is inside our hearts is more important than what people see on the outside. Do Something About It Day 16 This Week's Memory Verses (Little Kids) You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. Luke 16.15a (Big Kids) You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned. Luke 16.15 What can you give to people who have less than you? Talk with your family about putting some money aside each week to give to a ministry that serves people who have great needs. Write your family s plan in your FaithBook and begin to pray for God s blessing on the people you will be serving. Bible Trek: Luke 30
Talk to God God, thank you for all your many gifts to me. Please help me to have a grateful heart! Read the Bible Luke 17.11-19 Day 17 Leprosy is a terrible disease. It is so contagious that in Bible times, lepers had to live outside the city, separated from their families and friends forever. In this story, Jesus tells ten lepers to go to the priests in town to prove that they have been healed, but they aren t healed until they are on their way there! And, although all ten men are healed, only one comes back to say thank you. Think About It How many times does God do wonderful things for us and we forget to say thank you? How do you think Jesus felt when he asked, Weren t ten men healed? Where are the other nine? Jesus gave a special blessing to the one who came back to say thank you. He healed his spirit as well as his body by saying: Your faith has made you well. Remember to thank God for all he does! Do Something About It As you think about your life in the past week, can you remember three things that God did for you? Write them down here, and say a prayer of thanksgiving for God s goodness to you! 1. 2. 3. Bible Trek: Luke 31
Coloring Page jesus heals ten lepers Jesus asked, Weren t ten men healed? Where are the other nine? Luke 17.17 Day 17 Bible Trek: Luke 32
Talk to God God, thank you for the stories of Jesus in the Bible. Help me to follow you no matter what! Read the Bible Luke 18.18-27 Day 18 A rich man comes to see Jesus and asks him an important question: What must I do to have eternal life? The answer Jesus gives him is very hard for him to hear! Jesus tells him to sell everything and give the money to people who don t have any! The rich man went away sad, thinking about the difficult choice Jesus had given him. Think About It Jesus gave the rich man the challenge of giving away his riches because he knew the man s heart. He knew that the man was more attached to his money and his things than he was to God and caring for others. It s hard to always follow God s ways, but Jesus reminds us that he can help us do what God asks of us. Don t let anything keep you from following Jesus! Do Something About It Do you have something you can give away? Talk about this with your parents and make a plan to look around your room and see if there are clothes, games or toys that someone else might enjoy. Take the things to a local thrift store or a homeless shelter and give them away! Bible Trek: Luke 33
Word Scramble the rich man Day 18 NALEETR FIEL VIEG OLOLWF SJEUS Answers Eternal, Life, Give, Follow, Jesus Bible Trek: Luke 34
Talk to God God, teach me to worship you! Help me to join other people who love you so that we can worship you together! Read the Bible Luke 19.28-40 Day 19 Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem, and he knows that the end of his life on earth is near. He asks his disciples to go and borrow a little donkey for him to ride on. As he comes into the city, crowds of people who have seen him do miracles and have heard his teachings are waiting to see him, shouting their praises to him and calling him King! When others tell Jesus to quiet the crowd, he tells them that if the people were quiet, the stones around them would shout praises to God! Think About It God loves the praises of his people! Jesus was saying that even if the world tries to stop God s people from praising him, God s creation still shows what an amazing and powerful God he is! There is nothing that can stop us from praising and worshiping God, and it s good to praise Jesus with others! Do Something About It What makes you want to praise God? Can you write down three things that God has done for you or given you? Then take a moment right now and praise him! 1. 2. 3. Bible Trek: Luke 35
Fill in the Blank jericho to jerusalem Luke 19.28-40 Day 19 Mount of Olives Jerusalem Jericho Use your Bible to fill in the blanks below. Jesus traveled from (Luke 19.1) to (Luke 19.28). He sent his (Luke 19.29) to find a (Luke 19.30) for him to ride on. Bible Trek: Luke 36
Talk to God God, thank you for the Bible, where I can learn about you. Help me as I follow Jesus to know him better and better! Read the Bible Luke 20.9-19 Day 20 Today s story is sad. There are people who are taking care of a vineyard that belongs to another owner. When the owner sends one servant after another to the vineyard to get some of the grapes that belong to him, the people refuse to give them any grapes. They beat the servants and send them away. But the worst happens when the owner sends his own son and the people kill him so that they can have the vineyard for themselves! Think About It Jesus is talking about himself in this story! Long before Jesus came, God sent special people to tell the world about him, but many didn t listen. And then, when God sent his own Son, Jesus, the people killed him! A lot of people didn t know who Jesus was, and they wound up putting him to death. Even today, many people do not recognize that Jesus is God s Son. Do Something About It Do you know someone who doesn t know who Jesus is? Go back to Day 15 in your Luke journey. Did you write down the name of someone who doesn t know Jesus? Pray for them again! Now write down two things you can do to show them Jesus love! 1. 2. Bible Trek: Luke 37
Word Search the wicked renters Day 20 Circle the following words in the puzzle. They can go across, down, or diagonally. VINEYARD SON JESUS RECOGNIZE STORY Bible Trek: Luke 38
Talk to God God, make my heart soft as I read these verses, so I can hear your words to me today! Read the Bible Luke 21.1-4 Jesus is watching rich people put their money into the offering boxes. Then along comes a poor widow (a lady whose husband has died) who drops only a couple of pennies in the box. Because Jesus knows the hearts of the people in the story, he tells his disciples that the widow has put more in the offering box than the rich people! The rich have plenty to give, but give only what they don t need. The widow gives everything she has. Think About It Once again, Jesus shows us how different the kingdom of God is from the natural world. What s in our hearts is more important to God than what people see on the outside. God honors whatever we give, and measures its worth according to how much it costs us! Even if we only have a little, we can give what we have to God. Do Something About It Day 21 This Week's Memory Verses (Little Kids) [Jesus said] The sky and the earth won t last forever, but my words will. Luke 21.33 (Big Kids) [Jesus] told them, The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. Luke 24.46-47 Start a widow s bank! Keep your eyes open for pennies, nickels or dimes wherever you are. Collect them in a jar or bowl. When your bank is full, take what you have collected to church for an offering! Bible Trek: Luke 39
Coloring Page the widow s offering This poor woman has put in more than all the others. Everyone else gave what they didn t need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had. Luke 21.3-4 Day 21 Bible Trek: Luke 40
Talk to God God, help me to be true to you! Let me never be ashamed of being your friend. Read the Bible Luke 22.33-34, 54-62 Day 22 It s the last night Jesus is spending with his disciples just before he is arrested. Simon Peter loves Jesus, and declares that he will follow him even to prison and death! But Jesus knows Peter s weaknesses, and predicts that Peter will say that he doesn t even know Jesus three times before the rooster crows in the morning! And that s exactly what happens. Think About It Can you imagine how Peter felt when he heard that rooster crow? Terrible! The Bible tells us he cried hard. He hadn t been loyal to Jesus! We must never be afraid or embarrassed to talk about Jesus! We should be as faithful to him as he is to us, no matter what people think. Remember to stay loyal to Jesus even when it s hard! Do Something About It Find a picture of a rooster in an old magazine or download and print the coloring page from this lesson. Cut it out and glue it to a piece of paper. Underneath the picture, write, Be loyal to Jesus! Hang it on your wall to let it remind you to never be afraid or embarrassed to talk about Jesus to your friends! Bible Trek: Luke 41
Coloring Page peter denies jesus Peter remembered that the Lord had said, Before a rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will say three times that you don t know me. Then Peter went out and cried bitterly. Luke 22.61-62 Day 22 Bible Trek: Luke 42
Talk to God Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Help me to tell others about you! Read the Bible Luke 23.1-5, 13-25, 44-56 Day 23 A group of important men who don t recognize that Jesus was sent by God and think he is just a troublemaker have Jesus arrested. He is taken to two different government rulers, Governor Pilate and King Herod. Neither of them think Jesus is a criminal, but the crowd convinces them that Jesus should be killed. Jesus is cruelly nailed to a cross (a common way to execute criminals at that time), and his family and friends watch him die. Think About It Why did Jesus have to die? Because Jesus came to show the world how much God loves us! His death was an important part of God s plan to save us from sin and give us a way to have a relationship with God. It was very hard for Jesus to go through that experience, but think about it: Jesus died so that we can live forever with God. He loves us that much! Do Something About It Who do you know who needs to hear about Jesus? Check the boxes below that say how you will share the story of Jesus with your friends. qq Read about it in the Bible with them qq Watch a video about Jesus together qq Tell them the story in your own words qq Can you think of another way? Bible Trek: Luke 43
Word Scramble jesus dies on the cross Day 23 SUEJS IEDD OS HATT EW NAC EILV EORFERV IHWT OGD.. Answers Jesus died so that we can live forever with God. Bible Trek: Luke 44
Talk to God God, thank you that Jesus is alive! I m so glad I can know him and be his friend! Read the Bible Luke 24.1-10, 36-53 Day 24 This is the most exciting part of Jesus story! Three days after he dies on the cross, some friends go to the tomb where he was buried and discover that he is gone! Two angels appear to them and ask a very important question: Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? For the next several weeks, Jesus appears to his disciples a number of times before he goes back to heaven. They can hardly believe he s alive! Think About It God would never let the story of Jesus end with his death! God can do the impossible! God raised Jesus back to life! And even though Jesus himself returned to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit so that we can have a personal relationship with him. Here s the amazing truth: Jesus is alive today and the Holy Spirit gives us power to do God s kingdom work! Do Something About It Celebrate the end of your trek through the book of Luke! Visit an ice cream or frozen yogurt shop with your family and get your favorite frozen treat. Invite another family to come along, and share your memory verses with them. Celebrate that Jesus is alive! Bible Trek: Luke 45
Coloring Page the empty tomb Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus isn t here! He has been raised from death. Luke 24.5-6 Day 24 Bible Trek: Luke 46
Talk to God Jesus, thank you that I could learn your story from the book of Luke. Help me to grow in my relationship with you as I do your kingdom work everywhere, every day! Read the Bible Luke 24.46-53 Day 25 The disciples have been living and traveling with Jesus for three years, and have seen him do what he said he came to do! Remember in Luke 4.18-19 when Jesus said he came to proclaim good news to the poor, to heal those who are sick and to tell people about God? The disciples saw him do miracles, listened to his wise teachings and watched him die. Now, they stand face to face with him for the last time before he goes back to heaven. Jesus had accomplished his mission! Think About It As he was leaving earth, Jesus gave his disciples a big responsibility. He told them that because they saw all these things with their own eyes, they were to do what he had taught them: love and serve people they meet; tell them about God s love for the world; and share his story everywhere! (You can read about what happened next in the book of Acts in the Bible.) It is our responsibility, too. We can live out what we ve learned from Jesus and help God s kingdom grow every day! Do Something About It There are 20 Luke 4 Kingdom Challenges listed on the last page that give you many ways to do God s kingdom work, as Jesus talked about in Luke 4.18-19. Print or copy all 20 Challenges on a piece of paper and then cut the paper into little strips so there is one Kingdom Challenge on each piece. Put all the pieces into a little box. Take one out once or twice a week to see what you can do to share God s love with someone else! Bible Trek: Luke 47
Activity memory verse crossword (Little Kids) Day 25 ACROSS 4. Treat others just as you want to be. Luke 6.31 5. Nothing is for God! Luke 1.37 DOWN 1. The sky and the earth won t last, but my words will. Luke 21.33 2. You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your. Luke 16.15a 3. Ask and you will receive, and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Luke 11.9 Answers TREATED, IMPOSSIBLE, FOREVER, HEART, SEARCH Bible Trek: Luke 48
Activity memory verse crossword (big Kids) ACROSS 2. The Lord s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, This is the year the Lord has chosen. Luke 4.18-19 Day 25 3. Jesus told them, The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will from death. They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. Luke 24.46-47 4. You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are as far as God is concerned. Luke 16.15 DOWN 1. Ask and you will, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Luke 11.9-10 2. If any of you want to be my followers, you must about yourself. You must take up your cross every day and follow me. Luke 9.23 Answers FREEDOM, RISE, WORTHLESS, RECEIVE, FORGET Bible Trek: Luke 49
1. Make a card for someone who is sad. 2. Eat lunch with someone who needs a friend. 3. Make breakfast for your mom or dad. 4. Bake cookies for a neighbor you don t know. 5. Play a board game with someone who is lonely. 6. Encourage a friend who is struggling in school. 7. Wash some windows for an elderly neighbor. Take the Luke 4 Kingdom Challenge Copy each Kingdom Challenge onto a piece of paper, cut them out, and put them in a box. Take one out once or twice a week to see how you can share God s love with someone else! 8. Make some Every Day Packs for the homeless shelter: get a shoebox sized plastic box and pack it with a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, disposable razor and a small towel. 9. With your family, make a tray of sandwiches and take them to the homeless shelter. 10. Look through your games and puzzles to find some you can take to the thrift store. 11. Write a thank you note to someone who helps you every day. 12. Sweep the kitchen before you re asked. 13. Take a friend to church. 14. Make a play date with a toddler to give his/her mom a break. 15. Invite someone to your house that you know doesn t have many friends. 16. Wash the family car without being asked. 17. Choose someone who doesn t usually get chosen first for a game. 18. Take an extra dessert in your lunch for sharing. 19. Plant some flowers in little pots to give away. 20. Write a letter to someone who needs encouragement. Bible Trek: Luke 50
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